1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector used for connecting wiring harnesses in automobiles and more particularly to a connector which has a terminal locking device at the rear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In FIG. 7, denoted a is a connector housing and b a terminal locking device. The terminal locking device b is in a preliminary-connected condition in which its housing engagement arm c is engaged with a preliminary-connection projection d. From this state, the terminal locking device b is further pushed to a full-connection state in which the housing engagement arm c is engaged with a full-connection projection e. (Japanese Patent Preliminary Publication No. Showa 63-58470.)
FIG. 8 is a cross section of the connector housing and the terminal locking device in a preliminary-connection state. The terminal locking device b has a resilient terminal locking piece f. The resilient terminal locking piece f has at its free end a bulged portion f.sub.1, which is located in each terminal accommodating chamber g. A terminal lug h connected with a wire w is inserted from the rear into the terminal accommodating chamber g, pushing up the bulged portion f.sub.1 through a window a.sub.1 in the connector housing a until the terminal lug h engages with a resilient locking piece i. Then, the terminal locking device b is moved to the full-connection state to position the bulged portion f.sub.1 of the terminal locking piece f immediately behind the back of an electrical contact portion h.sub.1 of the terminal lug h. Now, the terminal lug h is doubly locked (FIG. 9).
As to an incompletely inserted terminal lug h, when the terminal locking device b is moved to the full-connection state, the bulged portion f.sub.1 of the terminal locking piece f abuts against the terminal lug h, pushing it to the normal position where it engages with the resilient locking piece i (FIG. 10).
With this locking technique, however, when one wants to remove the terminal lug h, the terminal locking device b must first be disconnected from the connector housing a. Not only is this troublesome but also it takes time and has a possibility of the removed terminal locking device b being lost.